Argylle Reviews All Say The Same Thing About Henry Cavill Action Thriller

By Britta DeVore | Updated

Although he may no longer be Superman or Geralt of Rivia, Henry Cavill is staying in the action business and moving forward with his latest film, Argylle, which is just hitting theaters this weekend. Critics who have gained access to previews eagerly jumped at the chance to see the Matthew Vaughn-helmed film ahead of its wide release, and they’re all saying the same thing. Unfortunately, Aubrey Argylle has nothing on the great spies who have come before him, as the movie is receiving widely negative reviews.

Argylle Doesn’t Make Sense

Largely, critics are saying one thing – that Argylle’s script doesn’t make any sense even within its own universe. The film itself is said to be an adaptation of a book penned by Elly Conway, which itself was just dropped at the beginning of the year. From there, Ice Age: Continental Drift and Wonder Woman writer Jason Fuchs picked up the torch to give the screenplay an on-screen makeover, which didn’t quite hit all the marks with critics.

Not Matthew Vaughn’s Best Work

henry cavill

Others have voiced their disdain for filmmaker Matthew Vaughn’s latest piece of work. Known for his sprawling list of credits (primarily in the action genre) including Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, and Kingsman: The Secret Service, Argylle looked to have all the makings of a title that would play well under Vaughn’s direction. Unfortunately, even his most dedicated followers have turned their backs on him, with one critic writing, “It is also a failure of directorial execution from top to bottom.”

Bryce Dallas Howard And Sam Rockwell Save The Film

One thing that folks can seem to agree on, however, is that the performances from the star-studded cast behind Argylle are exquisite. While Henry Cavill’s character may give the film its title, the first reactions were largely singing the praise of the film’s real leads – Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell.

One critic wrote, “Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell deliver strong performances,” with another adding, “Howard is so irrepressibly charming that Argylle proves hard to wholly resist.”

The Big Mystery

Speaking of Bryce Dallas Howard, she appears as the woman behind it all – Elly Conway. Both the writer of the book on which it was based and the leading character in Argylle, Conway is a real-life mystery as the author used a pseudonym to publish what’s thought to be her first novel. The mystique surrounding the scribe’s true identity has proved to be an allure all on its own as many have tried to guess who the writer is – with Taylor Swift’s name even brought into the theorizing.

What we do know for sure is that Argylle is about a writer named Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) who pens some of the world’s most beloved spy novels. But, when her storylines begin matching up with an actual mission carried out by a spy known as Argylle, the team wants to know what happens next to stay on top of the beat. The film also features leading performances from Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, John Cena, Dua Lipa, and more – there’s also a cat!

Argylle’s Release Date

Argylle will be celebrating its wide release on February 2, so if you want to see what all the hype is about, the earliest you can do that is this weekend. With all the intrigue and mystery surrounding it, it’s hard to resist dipping into a theater and seeing the adventure – or chaos – for yourself.Source: Rotten Tomatoes